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Volume 2, Number 27
8 July 2002
FAMILY PLANNING / REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH LAW AND POLICY
Bush
May Cut U.N. Program's Funding: No Final Decision,
but State Department Told to Plan Withholding Family
Planning Aid (news article)
President Bush is heading toward a decision to cut
off millions of dollars of funds for an international
family planning program opposed by abortion foes,
according to people familiar with the plans.
Bill
on Rape Causes Outrage in Malaysia (news article)
Malaysia's modern and multicultural society has taken
on a new hue since the 11 September terrorist attacks.
Now one of its state governments wants to pass a controversial
Islamic bill that would make it extremely hard, if
not impossible, to prove a rape case. Women's groups,
lawyers and ministers are furious, and even Prime
Minister Mahathir Mohamad has condemned the bill.
Pregnant Newcomers Denied HIV Aid
in UK: Charity (news article)
HIV-positive pregnant women who have recently arrived
in Britain are being denied free drugs to prevent
them passing on the virus to their babies, a leading
AIDS charity said.
China
and AIDS--The Time to Act Is Now (research article/policy
forum)
The sheer numbers of Chinese citizens and the size
of the country make the potential impact of an unchecked
AIDS epidemic staggering to consider. New estimates
released by the government, based on sentinel surveillance,
are that 850,000 Chinese citizens are already infected
FAMILY PLANNING / REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RESEARCH
Promoting
Dual Protection in Family Planning Clinics In Ibadan,
Nigeria (research article) PDF
Integrating dual-protection counseling and female
condom provision into family planning services appears
feasible, as is service providers' acceptance of dual-protection
objectives. While providers and clients are key to
transforming family planning to dual-protection services,
the attitudes and behaviors of clients' male partners
must be considered in gauging the success of the dual-protection
intervention.
Is
Integration the Answer for Africa? (research perspective)
PDF
For some regions in the developing world, integration
may be both feasible and appropriate. In Sub-Saharan
Africa, however, the effort to integrate services
may not be successful and is subject to risks that
should be considered carefully. Service programs in
this area are severely challenged and fragile.
The
Relationship Between Caesarian Section and Subfertility
in a Population-Based Sample of 14,541 Pregnancies
(research abstract)
Related news article: Caesarian
Mothers Risk Losing Chance to Have More Babies
Women who give birth by Caesarian section are almost
twice as likely as those who give birth naturally
to take more than a year to conceive again —
a standard measure of reduced fertility — according
to research at Bristol University.
Management
of Infertility (clinical review)
This review of the management of infertility, or more
correctly subfertility, focuses on investigations
(including over the counter fertility tests) and appropriate
actions and treatments in response to test results.
Sterilization
World's #1 Contraceptive Method (research note)
Increasingly, sterilization is the world's most widely
used contraceptive method. Approximately one out of
four couples worldwide use sterilization (21 percent
female, 4 percent male) as their family planning method.
FAMILY PLANNING / REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH NEWS
Tap Africa's Traditional Healers
for Safe Sex Help (news article)
For people in rural areas of the southern African
nation Malawi, the first person to turn to when symptoms
of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) appear is
often the traditional healer in the village, researchers
note. Enlisting the help of these traditional healers
may be an effective way to promote safer sex behavior
in rural parts of Africa where STDs are common, according
to a new report.
Test Spots Fertility Patients Who
Need Counseling (news article)
A psychological evaluation test developed in Brazil
could help identify men and women who need extra counseling
to cope with the problems of infertility.
Zimbabwe:
Aggressive Promotion of Female Condom (news article)
A new promotional campaign seeks to increase awareness
and encourage trial usage of the female condom. Research
has shown that while some women would like to use
the female condom, they often encounter problems in
inserting it. this promotion is further aimed at imparting
knowledge on the correct use of the condom among women.
The promotion targets women and is driven by hairdressers.
Most
Couples Conceive Naturally Within Two Years of Trying,
Need Not Seek Fertility Treatment After One Year,
Researchers Say (news article)
Although infertility is defined as "failure to
get pregnant after a year of trying," most healthy
couples who fail to conceive after one year will successfully
conceive in the second year, according to a study.
HIV / AIDS RESEARCH
The Report on the Global HIV/AIDS Epidemic (research
report)
English
| French
| Spanish
| Russian
Related news article: New
UNAIDS Report Warns AIDS Epidemic Still in Early Phase
A new report released by UNAIDS warns that the AIDS
epidemic is still in an early phase. HIV prevalence
is climbing higher than previously believed possible
in the worst-affected countries and is continuing
to spread rapidly into new populations in Africa,
Asia, the Caribbean and Eastern Europe.
HIV/AIDS:
Reproductive Rights on the Line (research brief)
In the two decades since the clinical identification
of HIV/AIDS, the reproductive and sexual rights of
women and girls continue to be ignored. This brief
identifies seven key areas of concern for HIV positive
women and girls.
MTCT-Plus
Program Has Two Goals: End Maternal HIV Transmission
+ Treat Mothers (research brief)
Worldwide more than 1500 children per day become infected
with HIV through mother-to-child transmission (MTCT).
Low-cost, effective therapies can reduce this grim
statistic. But pregnant women with HIV who receive
little or no care for their illness may be less likely
to seek treatment to avoid infecting their expected
children. A new effort, MTCT-Plus, funded by private
philanthropic foundations, hopes to change this dynamic.
Real-time,
Universal Screening for Acute HIV Infection in a Routine
HIV Counseling and Testing Population (research
abstract)
Related news article: Pooling Blood
Allows Early Discovery of HIV
Widespread screening for very early HIV infection
is both possible and practical, say US researchers.
Standard antibody tests can fail to detect infection
for up to six months. But by pooling blood samples
from people being screened for HIV, and testing for
viral RNA, it is possible to pick up infections just
a few weeks old, the team says.
HIV / AIDS NEWS
Scaling
Up Interventions Could Prevent 29 Million New HIV
Infections Among Adults By 2010 (press release)
An expanded global response to the AIDS epidemic based
on 12 essential interventions to reduce HIV transmission
could prevent some 29 million new HIV infections among
adults by 2010. Delay in implementation of the prevention
package will dramatically reduce the number of infections
that can be prevented. Implementation of the full
package by 2005 could cut new infections by 64%, lowering
the number of adults infected each year from over
four million currently to approximately 1.5 million.
Analyses suggest that just a three-year delay could
reduce these potential gains by 50%.
G-8
Summit 'Profoundly Disappointing,' Says UNAIDS Advisor
(news article)
There is between promise and reality in this summit
a distance which cannot be bridged," explains
Stephen Lewis, the United Nations Special Advisor
on AIDS, characterizing the world leaders Africa Action
Plan as "disappointing", "pathetic"
and "abysmal."
Sexual Taboos Hamper India's Fight Against AIDS (news
article)
As in many countries, homosexual relationships are
a big no-no in India. Even the government in its national
HIV/AIDS campaign avoids talking about men who have
sex with men. Researchers say this, combined with
the societal pressure on men to marry and keep their
male encounters secret, is proving to be a serious
problem in the campaign to prevent the spread of AIDS.
Many Indians Are HIV+ but Don't Know
It: UN (news article)
India has the second-highest number of people with
HIV/AIDS in the world--roughly 4 million--and 90%
of them don't even know it.
Zambia:
A Taxi Ride Away From Safe Sex (news article)
"AIDS is a severe problem here. We all know people
who have died and people who are suffering. A taxi
driver died recently," says cabbie David Kanandu.
"We've learned how to protect ourselves and we
are telling others. We give pamphlets and condoms
to our passengers. We tell them how to reduce their
risks."
Angola:
AIDS stigma pervasive (news article)
"It's so hard," said a tearful Rita Domingos.
"The moment people learn I'm HIV positive, they
treat me differently. Neighbours shun me. Children
avoid touching me. The landlord finds an excuse to
kick me out of my room." One of a handful of
Angolans open about being HIV positive, Domingos,
22, endures prejudice and stigma daily.
MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH
Mass
Measles Immunization Campaign: Experience in the Hong
Kong Special Administrative Region of China 
(research article)
Surveillance data showed that a measles epidemic seemed
imminent in Hong Kong in mid-1997. A mass immunization
campaign targeting children ages 1-19 achieved a 77%
coverage rate. This campaign created such low levels
of measles cases that subsequent campaigns can maintain
measles susceptibility at levels low enough to make
measles elimination the goal.
Variation
In Newborn Size According to Pregnancy Weight Change
by Trimester (research abstract)
Related news article: Mom's Early
Weight Gain Found Key in Newborn Size
A woman's weight gain during pregnancy is well known
to influence her newborn's birth weight, but new research
suggests that pounds gained during the first trimester
may be particularly important.
Trends
in Infant Mortality Inequalities in the Americas:
1955—1995 (research article)
Despite a sizable reduction in the infant mortality,
whether or not income related, levels of IMR inequality
among countries have remained almost constant between
1955 and 1995 in the Region of the Americas. Further
analysis and focused interventions are needed to tackle
the challenges of reducing these persistent mortality
inequalities.
Comparison
of Skin-to-Skin (Kangaroo) and Traditional Care: Parenting
Outcomes and Preterm Infant Development (research
abstract)
Skin-to-skin care had a significant positive impact
on the infant's perceptual-cognitive and motor development
and on the parenting process. Researchers speculate
that KC has both a direct impact on infant development
by contributing to neurophysiological organization
and an indirect effect by improving parental mood,
perceptions, and interactive behavior.
MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH NEWS
Autism
Link to Smoking (news article)
Children born to mothers who smoke during pregnancy
could be up to 40 per cent more likely to develop
autism, a study shows. Scientists who compared 400
autistic children to 2,000 healthy children born over
the same period found that mums of victims were more
likely to have smoked early in pregnancy.
Lower Risk of Miscarriage Seen in
Twin Pregnancies (news article)
The risk of miscarriage in twin pregnancies is significantly
lower than it is for single pregnancies, new research
from Belgium shows.
Vitamin C May Lower Pregnancy Complication
Risk (news article)
Consuming vitamin C-rich foods may lower the risk
of developing preeclampsia in pregnancy, preliminary
study findings suggest. While there is no way to prevent
or treat the condition other than elective delivery
of the fetus, consuming foods rich in vitamin C or
taking vitamin C supplements during pregnancy might
lower the risk, the researchers report.
MEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH
Is
There Any Relation Between Serum Levels of Total Testosterone
and the Severity of Erectile Dysfunction? (research
abstract)
Erectile dysfunction presented a clear association
with aging, but neither correlation between total
testosterone serum levels and erectile dysfunction,
nor with its severity, could be demonstrated.
Adolescent
Sexuality and Men's Attitudes to Family Planning in
Pacific Island Countries: Summary of Research Findings
This report covers main findings derived from both
published and
unpublished reports of research conducted into adolescent
sexuality and
men's attitudes to family planning programmes in some
Pacific islands
countries namely Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati,
Marshall
Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
MEN'S HEALTH NEWS
"Gender
Benders" Cause Sperm Burn Out (news article)
The first direct evidence that "gender bender"
chemicals affect the fertilizing ability of sperm
has been revealed - but it is unclear whether this
would boost or harm fertility. Researchers found that
chemicals that mimic the effects of the female sex
hormone estrogen can prime sperm into becoming prematurely
active, burning out before they have a chance to meet
an egg.
Smoking Hinders Fertility Treatments
in Men (news article)
Men hoping to have children with the help of fertility
techniques should stop smoking because it can decrease
their chances of success, medical experts said on
Tuesday.
Denial, Avoidance Ups Stress of Cancer
Diagnosis (news article)
Men faced with a diagnosis of prostate cancer appear
to fare much worse emotionally if their personal coping
style is one of denial and avoidance, new study findings
suggest.
Studies
Often Ignore Domestic Violence Committed By Women
(news article)
It's not only men who commit domestic violence, yet
scientific studies rarely look at female-to-male violence.
While most research indicates that men are the oppressors
and women suffer, it is far from being the whole picture.
Prostate
Cancer "Over-Diagnosed" by Screening
(news article)
A third of prostate cancers detected in older men
using the standard PSA screening test would not cause
actual symptoms during the patients' lifetimes, according
to a new US analysis. But the majority of these men
undergo treatments that do have substantial side-effects.
Many Young HIV-Positive Men Unaware
(news article)
A study of young gay and bisexual men in major U.S.
cities found that more than three-quarters of those
infected with HIV were unaware they had the AIDS virus.
POPULATION RESEARCH
Demographic
Factors in East Asian Regional Integration
(working paper)
This paper investigates broad spatial changes in the
ways that East Asia's political and social life are
organized and economies operate. The project's particular
interest is in processes of regionalization - both
through the deliberate construction of political institutions
and through the largely unplanned emergence of regional
affiliations and identities. Demographic factors play
a potentially significant part both in promoting and
in impeding regional integration, and include the
existing population size relativities; the uneven
onset, pace, and outcomes of demographic transition
across the region, affecting population growth and
age structure; the rapid urbanization that is underway
and the emergence of urban-industrial corridors; and
the rapid expansion of numbers of middle-class consumers.
Towards
a Theory of Lowest-Low Fertility
(working paper)
Lowest-low fertility, defined as a period total fertility
rate below 1.3, has rapidly spread in Europe during
the 1990s and is likely to expand further. In this
paper we argue that the emergence and persistence
of this new phenomenon is due to the combination and
interaction of four factors.
Population
Ageing and Development
Population ageing has become one of the most significant
demographic processes of modern times. An inevitable
consequence of the demographic transition and the
shift to lower fertility and reduced mortality, the
ageing of the world's population has many countries
facing unprecedented numbers and proportions of older
persons.
POPULATION NEWS
Ghanaian
Doctor, US Organization Honored with UN Population
Award (news article)
The United Nations today honored a Ghanaian doctor
and a non-governmental organization from the United
States for their contributions to increasing the awareness
of, and solutions to, the world's population problems.
Philippine
Population Reaches 80 Million (news article)
The population of the Philippines is now about 80
million and 32 million of them are considered poor,
the Commission on Population has said.
Life Expectancy to Plummet in Africa
Due to AIDS (news article)
Without AIDS, average life expectancy in southern
African countries such as Botswana, Namibia and Swaziland
would have been around 70 years by 2010. Instead,
deaths will outstrip births in five countries by 2010,
meaning negative population growth.
WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH
Cardiovascular
Disease Outcomes During 6.8 Years of Hormone Therapy
(research article)
Related news article: Hormones Don't
Shield Older Women From Heart Attack
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) does not protect
older postmenopausal women with heart disease from
heart attacks or death and may even increase their
risk of certain other health problems, according to
the results of a large national study.
Alternative
Therapies for Traditional Disease States: Menopause
(research article)
Some women look for alternative treatments for menopausal
symptoms. In observational trials, exercise has been
associated with decreased vasomotor symptoms. One
trial suggested that black cohosh may reduce menopausal
symptoms. Soy has been shown to decrease vasomotor
symptoms, lower lipid levels, and increase bone density.
However, large amounts of soy must be consumed, and
it is not clear whether soy consumption causes a decrease
in cardiovascular events or fractures. The evidence
for St. John's wort is equivocal. Fish oil is helpful
for secondary preventionof coronary artery disease.
The
Impact of Female Genital Cutting on First Delivery
in Southwest Nigeria (research abstract)
Although univariate analyses suggest that genital
cutting is associated with delivery complications
and procedures, multivariate analyses controlling
for sociodemographic factors and delivery setting
show no difference between cut and noncut women's
likelihood of reporting first-delivery complications
or procedures.
WOMEN'S HEALTH NEWS
Exercise Tougher at Beginning of
Menstrual Cycle (news article)
Exercising after ovulation--at the midpoint of the
menstrual cycle--is easier, and burns more fat, than
exercising in the first week of the menstrual cycle,
according to the results of a new Australian study.
The study is soon to enter its last phase, where the
impact of synthetic hormones such as those contained
in the oral contraceptive pill will be studied.
UNICEF
Report Examines Routes For Trafficking Girls, Women
(news article)
The report says that girls from various parts of Bangladesh
last year were trafficked to Pakistan and India through
Shibganj, a town in the northwestern region which
serves as the main route for the trade. Last year,
200,000 girls were trafficked to Pakistan.
Tamoxifen
May Increase Risk of Uterine Sarcoma (news article)
The US Food and Drug Administration issued a new warning
on the drug tamoxifen, advising doctors that it may
cause an aggressive cancer of the uterus. The labelling
of tamoxifen will be changed to add a "black
box" warning about the newly identified risk
of uterine sarcoma.
FGM
Trend Baffles Campaigners (news article)
Groups working against female genital mutilation are
concerned at the lack of progress in wiping out the
practice in Africa.
YOUTH RESEARCH
Young
People and HIV/AIDS: Opportunity in Crisis
(research report)
Related press release: Major
UN Study Finds Alarming Lack of Knowledge About HIV/AIDS
Among Young People
The vast majority of the world's young people have
no idea how HIV/AIDS is transmitted or how to protect
themselves from the disease. Yet the study also shows
that adolescence is the time when the majority of
people become sexually active. These trends highlight
why HIV/AIDS continues to spread so rapidly.
Is
There a Causal Link Between Maltreatment and Adolescent
Pregnancy? A Literature Review (research abstract)
Despite a sizable amount of research addressing the
relationship between violence and women's reproductive
health, it has not been shown whether there is sufficient
evidence of a causal link between childhood maltreatment
and subsequent adolescent pregnancy.
Estudo
dos partos e nascidos vivos de m*es adolescentes e
adultas jovens no Munic*pio de Feira de Santana, Bahia,
Brasil, 1998 (Childbirth and live newborns of
adolescent and young adult mothers in the municipality
of Feira de Santana, Bahia State, Brazil, 1998) (research
article -- Portuguese)
Data from the Brazilian Ministry of Health and the
literature indicate that adolescents may be overrepresented
in the prevalence of maternal morbidity and mortality
and neonatal complications. This study focused on
childbirth and live newborns among adolescent and
young adult mothers in the municipality of Feira de
Santana, Bahia, identifying risk factors for morbidity
and mortality.
YOUTH NEWS
Where
AIDS Orphans See Prostitution As a Way Out for a Living
(news article)
Prostitution is not a new trade in Rangwe, South Nyanza,
but social workers are astounded by its meteoric rise
in the height of the AIDS pandemic. Nearly 500 orphaned
girls in the district have become sex workers.
Proposed
Sex Education For Schools: Who Will Accept It?
(news article/opinion)
A newfangled and potentially controversial sexuality
education curriculum for upper primary schools, junior
secondary schools and senior secondary schools is
being proposed by the Nigerian Educational Research
and Development Council in conjunction with the Federal
Ministry of Education and the Action Health Incorporated.
BOOKS / BOOK REVIEWS
Strike
A Balance Between Traditions and Modernity (book
review)
In her book, Your Name Shall Be Tanga, Calixsthe Beyala
gives a graphic - if somewhat shocking - narrative
of the multitude of socio-economic problems that the
African girl child has to contend with.
PROFILES / SPECIAL REPORTS:
Condoms Count: Meeting the Need in the Era of HIV/AIDS
English
| Spanish
| French
At least 8 billion condoms are needed annually for
protection against HIV/AIDS in developing countries
and Eastern Europe, but wealthy countries contribute
less than one billion condoms, fewer than a decade
ago, says a new report.
Columbia
University's Dr. Allan Rosenfield Widening His Engagement
With Public Issues
Allan Rosenfield, Dean of the Mailman School of Public
Health at Columbia University, does not consider public
health merely a system of services. In his Dean*s
Report for the year 2000, he quoted C.E.A. Winslow,
a pioneer of public health in the early 1900s, who
described public health as "the science and art
of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting
physical and mental health -- through organized community
efforts -- and the development of a social machinery
which will ensure every individual in the community
a standard of living adequate to health."
Quality
Improvement In HIV/AIDS Programs: A Case Study for
NGOs/CBOs and Their Partners
This case study outlines the use of the Performance
Improvement Review tool in NGO managed programs. Combining
examples from field experience with quality ideals,
the case details a fictional NGO's progress through
the processes of setting measurable goals, planning
program monitoring, building monitoring teams, collecting
program data, identifying problems, creating concrete
performance improvement plans and conducting follow-up
monitoring reviews.
Reproductive
Health of Young Adults: Training Module
This training module has four sections covering reproductive
health issues affecting young adults. Section I contains
background information, including reproductive health
risks and consequences. Section II discusses what
information and services are needed by young adults.
Section III provides clinical information on contraceptive
options for young adults. Section IV addresses STD
prevention and treatment issues for young adults.
The main components of this Web version are slides
and narrative, summary fact sheet, note-taking pages,
and a questionnaire -- to be completed after going
through the presentation.
Mexico's
Pill Pioneer
An immigrant with a vision turned a tiny Mexico City
chemical lab into an international pharmaceutical
giant. Mexico's role in this global phenomenon was
a result of Rosenkranz's and Syntex's work on the
birth control pill. But the company's overall success
also benefited the country's economy. Through its
production of progesterone, Syntex became, by the
mid-1950s, Mexico's fifth-largest exporter, attracting
badly needed foreign currency to the still developing
nation.
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